Telecom providers like Emanuel's high-speed Internet expansion

(Crain's) — Broadband providers welcomed Mayor Rahm Emanuel's invitation to provide more affordable high-speed broadband service to businesses in areas that are seen as underserved, though they didn't leap in with any commitments to build out their networks.

The city issued a request for information Monday to gauge telecom providers' willingness to help bring service at discounted rates to more than a dozen areas — from River North to the former Michael Reese Hospital near McCormick Place.

“We're definitely interested in the idea,” said Rich Kingston, chairman and founder of Business Only Broadband, which provides service using microwave in various parts of the city and suburbs. The seven-year-old company based in Westmont has 50 transmission sites. “Our technology lends itself to this requirement. We have a lot of coverage in the city in areas we think are underserved.“

Comcast Corp., the cable provider that has made a strong push into business broadband during the past several years, said in a statement, “We will review the RFI and determine our next steps.”

AT&T Inc., the dominant business telecom provider in the city, said: “We commend the mayor for his vision in continuing to seek private broadband investment. . . . With skyrocketing demand and increasing reliance on high-speed networks, smart government policies can bring even greater private-sector investment in wired and wireless broadband networks that will attract more high-tech industries and jobs to the City of Chicago.”

A spokesman for ClearWire, which provides high-speed wireless data service in the Chicago area using WiMax, also said, “We've seen the RFI and are evaluating it.”

Mr. Emanuel sees the availability of inexpensive broadband at speeds up to 1 gigabit per second as a tool to attract and retain tech companies, particularly startups that locate in less-expensive areas.

As part of the plan, which was first reported by Crain's, the city says it's willing to use resources, such as its own unused fiber-optic lines or access to rights-of-way such as water and sewer lines, and light poles to help companies provide service. The city also noted in the request that it spends more than $30 million on broadband services annually, including CTA and Chicago Public Schools, and that it might use the portions of that spending within the target areas to boost the viability of bringing additional service to them.

The mayor also proposed bringing high-speed broadband to underserved residential areas and free Wi-Fi service to city parks and other public spaces.